Toy gun structure



June 22, 1954 w s 2,681,528

TOY GUN STRUCTURE Filed July 24, 1950 59 49 19 50 A 7 35 45 4 F 10 1 t 7 INVENTOR. Richard B. L wi BY w mam ATTUI? Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY GUN STRUCTURE Richard B. Lewis, St. Paul, Minn.

Application July 24, 1950, Serial No. 175,549

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in cap gun and deals particularly with a toy gun structure capable of exploding fulminate caps.

The object of the present invention lies in the provision of a toy gun which simulates in appearance a real gun and which explodes fulminate caps or the like to produce a sharp noise. The caps are preferably supplied in roll form and the apparatus operates automatically to feed the caps into exploding position one after another.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a cap gun in which the barrel is hollow and communicates with the magazine within which the caps are exploded. A louver in the magazine admits air and provides somewhat of a natural draft through the barrel as the caps are exploded. As a result the gases and smoke given off by the explosion have a tendency to travel through the hollow barrel, causing the end of the barrel to smoke.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a cap gun having a novel means of advancing the caps. A pivoted trigger is provided which is urged in one direction by a spring. When the trigger is pulled in the opposite direction, stretching the spring, a dog or pawl on the trigger engages a ratchet wheel to rotate the wheel in one direction. When the trigger is released the pawl moves rearwardly without moving the ratchet. The caps are fed between a suitable guide and the surface of a roller movable with the ratchet wheel. This roller is provided with a roughened surface which grips the strip of caps and moves the strip a predetermined distance for each tooth of the ratchet wheel.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a pivoted support for the roll of caps which also includes the guide over which the cap strip moves. This pivoted support may be pivoted out of the receiver portion of the gun so that the support for the roll of caps is readilyaccessible. As a result the caps may be placed in position to be detonated while pivoted out of the receiver therefore eliminating danger of premature explosion. The caps can not be exploded until the pivoted support is swung into position to close the receiver, thus preventing the operator from accidental injury.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the particular manner in which the caps are exploded. A toothed wheel is rotated with the ratchet. This toothed wheel is engageable with a spring urged trigger to draw the trigger out of firing position. When the trigger reaches the proper distance from the cap, the toothed wheel disengages the trigger permitting the wheel to swing downwardly under spring tension against the cap strip, thereby exploding the cap.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the gun howing the general arrangement of parts thereof.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the gun and particularly at the receiver portion thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the receiver portion of the gun, the trigger guard being broken away to show the construction thereof.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the receiver of the gun, the position of the section being indicated by the line ll-t of Figure 2.

The gun is designated in general by the letter A. This gun includes a buttstock ill shaped similarly to the stock of a gun of usual type. The buttstock I0 is connected to a receiver portion indicated in general by the numeral I I. A hollow tubular barrel I2 projects forwardly from the receiver portion 1 l. A forestock 13 extends beneath the barrel I2 at the receiver end thereof to provide a natural appearance to the gun.

The receiver portion l l includes an outer casing which is preferably rounded at its upper extremity at it as indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings and extends downwardly to provide spaced parallel sides l5 and It. At either end of the sides 15 and I6, inturned flanges such as I! and 19 are provided to complete the tubular form of the barrel at each end thereof. The casing thus formed is preferably irregularly shaped at its rear end as indicated at 29 so that the lower portion of the receiver is somewhat longer than the rounded upper edge i4 thereof. This provides a natural appearance to the receiver portion of the gun.

A pair of rivets 2| extend through the sides l5 and I6 of the receiver H and through the buttstock ill to hold these parts assembled. A screw 22 also extends through the flanged portions I1 and into the buttstock to assist in holding these parts assembled. A pair of rivets 23 extend through the sides l5 and it: of the receiver I! and through the forestock H to hold these parts assembled. A screw 24 extends through the flanges l9 and into the forestock it to assist in holding these parts in proper position.

The parts thus described form a receiver housing which is connected at opposite ends to the buttstock and forestock and which is provided with an open lower edge between these parts. The upper surface of the forestock I3 is grooved as indicated at 25 to accommodate the barrel 12. The rear edge of the barrel is preferably beveled as indicated at 26 so that the barrel opens into the interior of the receiver.

A trigger 2'! is pivotally supported upon a transverse pivot 29 extending between opposite sides l and N3 of the receiver casing. This pivot may be in the form of a rivet or bolt. The trigger includes a downwardly projecting arm 35 which projects below the side edges l5 and 16 of the receiver casing. This downwardly projecting portion is preferably of right angle cross section, including a laterally extending flange 3! against which the finger may engage. The trigger 21 also includes a radially extending arm 32 which is at all times enclosed within the receiver housing. A spring 33 is anchored at 34 to the arm 32 and is anchored at 35 to the housing side wall [5. The anchor point 35 is indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings. In View of the fact that the side wall of the receiver housing is not shown in Figure 2, only the bent anchor end of the spring 33 is shown in this figure.

The trigger 2? also includes an arm 36 which extends radially and then substantially right angularly. The ofl-set end 31 of the arm supports a spring strip 39. The extremity 46 of the spring strip 39 extends substantially radially relative to the ivot 28.

A ratchet wheel 4| is pivotally supported upon the pivot 29 adjacent to the trigger 21. The ratchet wheel ll includes a series of angularly spaced pockets 42 into which the spring strip 39 successively engage. The end 40 of the spring strip 39 engages each pocket as the trigger is swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2 and moves the ratchet wheel 4! in unison with the trigger. The ratchet Wheel 4| is designed to rotate substantially the angular distance between adjacent pockets 42 or somewhat in excess thereof.

The ratchet wheel 4| is provided with an attached drum 43 rotatable therewith. This drum 43 is provided with an outer friction surface of some type and preferably is provided with a coating of rubber or some similar material. This friction surface is designed to move the cap strip in a manner which will be later described in detail.

A closure plate 44 is provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs 45 which are pivotally supported in aligned apertures 45 in the receiver sides It and 25. This closure strip extends from the pivot lugs 45 to a point closely adjacent to the forestock l 3. A slide 4'! is slotted as indicated at 39 to straddle the anchoring screw 24 above the inturned flanges it. This slide 41' is provided with a downturned flange at its forward extremity by means of which the slide may be moved longitudinally. The rear end of the slide normally engages beneath the forward edge of the closure plate 44 to hold the closure plate in position to close the lower end of the receiver housing. When the slide 47 is pulled forwardly, the closure plate 44 is disengaged and this closure plate, together with the parts connected thereto may swing downwardly about the pivot apertures 45.

A flat strip 5! is connected at its ends 5-2 and 53 to the closure plate 44 forming a trigger guard loop between the ends. This looped strip 5| is supported beneath the trigger 2'! so that the trigger will not be accidentally moved. The closure plate 44 also includes an upwardly extending plate 54 having a pivot arm 55 projecting therefrom. The pivot arm 55 is designed to support a roll of caps indicated in general by the numeral 56. The roll of caps merely pivots about the arm 55 as the cap strip is moved. The cap strip is not shown so that the other parts of the construction may be more readily seen.

The closure .plate 44 also includes a flat spring 57 which is anchored at 59 to the closure plate near the forward end thereof and which springs upwardly at its rear end against the drum 43. The strip of caps from the roll 56 is threaded over this spring 5'! so as to engage between the movable end of the spring and the drum 43. Thus the tape strip is spring urged against the friction surface of the drum, assisting the drum to grip the cap strip. The closure plate 44 is also provided with a short flange 5B which extends upwardly from the closure plate and laterally into substantially parallel relation to the body of the closure plate. This flange 60 is connected at one edge only to the closure plate so that the cap strip may be easily fed between the closure plate and the flange.

An angular bracket 5! is provided with one flange 62 interposed beneath the inturne-d flanges l1 and the buttstock ID. This flange 52 is held in place by the anchoring screw 22. The angle bracket 61 is provided with an upwardly and forwardly inclined flange 63 designed to assist in supporting a resilient hammer arm 64. The hammer arm 64 includes a downwardly and rearwardly inclined flange 55 which extends parallel to the bracket flange 63 and which is connected to an angle bracket 65. The angle bracket 68 includes a flange 61 which is secured to the housing wall l6 by any suitable means.

The hammer arm 64 supports a hammer 89. This hammer 69 normally engages against the closure plate 44 being held in this position by the spring arm 54. The end ID of the spring arm 54 is engageable successively with peripheral teeth H on the ratchet wheel 4!. As the ratchet wheel 4! rotates, the end 70 is carried upwardly, raising the hammer Eli out of contact with the closure plate 44. After a predetermined angular rotation of the ratchet wheel, the spring arm 54 slips out of engagement with the tooth ll, allowing the spring arm 54 to urge the hammer 69 against the cap strip.

The operation of the device has, for the most part, been explained in conjunction with the construction. In loading the gun, the slide 41 is disengaged from the forward end of the closure plate 44, allowing this closure plate to pivot downwardly about the lugs 45. A roll of caps is mounted upon the pivot arm 55, a portion of the strip being unthreaded from the roll and drawn into position overlying the spring 51 and lying between the flange 6i} and the body of the closure plate. The end of the cap strip extends slightly beyond the flange 56 so that it will be beneath the hammer 69 when the closure plate 44 is closed.

The closure plate is next swung into closing position and the slide 4! returned to locking position. During this upward swinging of the closure plate and trigger guard, the tape strip is urged against the friction drum 4 3 by the spring 51. A notch 12 in the closure plate permits the trigger to extend therethrough.

Once the closure plate 44 is in place the gun is in readiness for operation. The trigger 21 is pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, stretching the spring 33. This action causes the pawl 39 to engage one of the pockets (2 to rotate the ratchet wheel H in a clockwise direction. This action moves the cap strip forwardly and also causes a tooth TI to engage the end of the spring arm 64., raising the hammer 69 to allow the tape strip to move therebeneath. When the ratchet wheel has been rotated a sufiicient angular distance the end 10 of the spring arm 64 disengages the tooth H and the hammer 39 springs downwardly against the cap strip, exploding the same. The trigger 21 is thereafter released, the spring 33 returning the trigger to its original position. If the trigger is again pulled in a clockwise direction, the spring 39 will engage the next successive pocket .2 and the cycle may be repeated. The cap outlet is rearwardly of the pivots 46, forwardly of the flange 33, and beneath the spring arm 84.

It will be noted that the notch 12 in the closure plate 44 and the opening beneath the pivoted end of the closure plate 44 admit air beneath the cap strip. A louver 13 on each of the magazine side walls 15 and It also admits air into the magazine. As a series of caps are successively exploded the heated gases tend to raise upwardly and circular through the hollow barrel I2, thus allowing the mouth of the barrel to smoke realistically.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my toy gun, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A toy gun including a receiver, a trigger pivotally supported in said receiver, means for moving a strip of caps, cooperable means between said trigger and said moving means for moving the cap strip upon movement of the trigger, a leaf spring having one end anchored to said receiver and its distal end resiliently urged toward said cap strip and flexible away from the cap strip, a hammer carried by said distal end, and rotatably supported ratchet means cooperaole with said trigger, resilient means carried by said trigger operable upon pivotal movement of said trigger to rotate said ratchet through a predetermined angular distance, and means on said ratchet engageable with the distal end of said leaf spring to flex the same away from the cap strip and then to release said leaf spring to swing said hammer against said cap strip.

2. A toy gun including means for supporting a roll of caps, hammer means for exploding said caps, said hammer means including a resiliently biased hammer arm, a ratchet wheel provided with teeth thereon engageable with said hammer means for overcoming the resilient bias thereof, trigger means pivotally mounted for relative rotation with respect to said ratchet wheel, said trigger means including a spring strip biased toward one side of said ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel having a series of spaced pockets engageable by said spring strip, and means associated with said ratchet wheel for feeding said caps to said hammer means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 675,315 Adams et a1 May 28, 1901 894,578 Bierley et a1 July 28, 1908 1,504,344 Kohn June 2, 1925 1,542,520 Reardon June 16, 1925 1,735,698 Schrader Nov. 12, 1929 2,061,471 Larson Nov. 17, 1936 2,095,284 Penney Oct. 12, 1937 2,098,006 Kilgore Nov. 2, 1937 2,431,301 Eulenfeld Sept. 6, 1949 2,507,805 Milne May 16, 1950 

